XI
Bonnita’s Story

I‘ve got no hard luck tale to tell, the opposite in fact. I had a happy childhood, lived in a big house, was spoilt by my parents. I also had the best education. School was a bore, but I was popular because of my looks. Should I be condemned for that? The boys loved me and the girls wanted to be my friend. My teachers thought I was a brat, but I didn’t care. I was a cheerleader, my boyfriend was the captain of the football team. We were the golden couple, the prom king and queen.

‘The only drag was my father. “You’re a smart girl, Bonnita,” he’d say. “Find your passion, do something with it. Don’t waste your life.” One day, I eavesdropped on my parents. My father thought they should cut me loose, otherwise I’d never face the world and make something of myself. Thank God they didn’t. It’s one of those quirks of nature: parents know they should be tough, but simply can’t do it.

‘They say when you fall, you fall fast. I fell in record time. I met him at a party. He was in finance, a big hitter – he was perfect. We spent the night together, then the next and the next. My father tried to slow us down, but how do you stop a whirlwind? We were engaged within weeks, married within months. Our wedding was the talk of the town. I was the happiest girl alive! That was the high point.

‘It wore off shockingly fast. Polite became inattentive, candlelit dinners turned into “Let’s watch TV tonight.” A fog descended, then it was downhill all the way – rows, recriminations, rudeness, finally heartbreak and pain. There seems to be a rule that everything ends in a mess. My situation was no different.

‘Cocomo ridicules people who grab at happiness, but what’s wrong with that? Is love a mathematical equation? Feelings multiplied by time equals love. I was unlucky, but I’m still young. I’ll roll with the punches, there’ll be another one along some time.

‘I keep myself busy. I’m no saint, but I help good causes. It’s a question of balance. I do things for others, but I also look after myself. I’d like to find something to be passionate about. Yet nothing stands out. Maybe I’m passionate about leading a normal life. I don’t feel the need to achieve anything great, to be challenged or overcome adversity. I never planned to change the world. Can’t I just want to be happy?’

Bonnita looked down as she finished her story. Tancredi was about to speak when he noticed a tear gather in the corner of a lovely eye. She was right about love defying logic. He had fallen in a heartbeat. No wonder, she was physical perfection and innocent sweetness combined. He thrilled at the purity of his feelings. He blushed red, not knowing what to say.